Light's Shadow
by Sacrosanct Exercitus
Summary: The story of Rudaro, a blood elf's who past will haunt his future. Rating M: For future chapters containing violence and gory scenes.
1. Chapter 1

He felt so much older now. Even his look seemed old. In the window he saw another man's face. One what was paler and less defined than it once was, or one that has seen war. Bandages still covered his entire torso which undoubtedly covered a horrific scar. But as soon as thoughts about that time stared to seep into the young elf's mind he quickly banished them knowing what he would remember from that nightmare. Instead he continued to concentrate on his face, which still had the glowing green eyes from a time where corrupted magic flowed through his veins. The restoration of the Sunwell did not seem to lift him of that scar. Other than his eyes he looked frailer than he had been before and his hair was almost stark white now.

"Rudaro?" came an angelic voice from the doorway behind him.

Rudaro turned to it and saw a pleasant face, "Caireen, what a pleasure it is to see you,"

The woman blessed by the Light moved into the room with such grace and tranquility that anyone who set eyes on her could only but stop and watch. Her golden hair seemed to shine Light's very radiance and her eye's held some of the once predominant blue color in them. This proved that the Light had chosen to cleanse some of her sin away and let her shine as she once did, "Yes, I had heard you had finally awoken,"

Rudaro sensed much concern in her voice and smiled, "You have come to visit me often haven't you," Caireen was always like that with me, like a sister by blood, always worrying for my well being.

"Most of us have," she looked around the room as if expecting someone to be there, "I'm actually quite surprised Herios isn't here,"

Rudaro chuckled as he spoke, "Actually it's just like him not to be here. Showing such weakness as an orc would be like a sin to them. Plus we both know he truly hasn't gone that soft on us yet," Caireen attempted a smile but one did not come into being, "I feel fine Caireen. You don't have to worry about me anymore. The war is over and the Lich King is dead,"

"You should know very well that it isn't that simple little one," Rudaro simply glanced at Caireen waiting for her to continue, "While you were asleep the Death Aspect, Deathwing, has broken his chains in the plane of earth and wreaked havoc upon Azeroth. Even now the Dragon Aspects and Earthen Ring fight off his minions,"

"So what of Thrall? What course does he wish the Horde to take?" Rudaro asked.

"Thrall is no longer Warchief of the Horde. Hellscream is,"

"What!? That warmongering fool now rules the Horde? Did he…"

Caireen stopped him with her silence, then when things quieted she continued, "Thrall chose Hellscream himself. It is not for us to question our fellow ally's decision. But Hellscream did prove quite a bit during the Icecrown Champaign and Thrall saw this, so when he stepped down as Warchief it was only logical for Hellsceam to take his place,"

Rudaro sat back in his bed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "We both know Thrall is not a logical man. He is a man of wisdom. And it would be wiser of him, if he were to step down, to choose Vol'jin or Cairn Bloodhoof to take his place,"

"Cairn is dead, and Vol'jin was banished from Orgrimmar,"

"Caireen, how long have I been asleep exactly?" Rudaro asked now being the one who was concerned.

Caireen shook her head and broke her gaze on Rudaro out of shame, "I'm sorry Rudaro, but I have wasted too much time on this as it is. You do realize where you have been recovering yes?"

Rudaro looked around at the scenery of his room. The brightly covered drapes over the stain glass windows, the arcane lit lanterns, and the glow of the setting sun outside gave away the location to him, "Silvermoon, my home,"

Caireen's look of shame seemed to increase as he said those words. So much though that she turned away from him and started to walk out of the room while saying, "Then you know that now that you're awake I can no longer protect you. You have by sunrise to leave the city," before she turned the corner she stopped and looked at something beyond Rudaro's eyesight with dutiful eyes. Then before leaving she turned to Rudaro once more and said, "I will act as if you snuck out during the night my apprentice," she then face the unseen object again and bowed politely at it before leaving.

Rudaro simply sat and waited for the person, or so he figured, to show itself. He stared at the doorway as the evening sun set and the light through his window cast shadows that almost danced within his room. Eventually the shadows seemed to form into a large brutish shape, one that sent shivers down Rudaro's spine, "Who's there,"

The shadow moved toward him and stopped at the foot of his bed, revealing itself, "Your savior," said the dark skinned orc, "Herios Wolfstride,"


	2. Chapter 2

Rudaro stood at the top of the hill overlooking his home. Feelings of despair and hardship held onto him with such force, to him, he felt like he was choking. The orc behind him also looked down at the city below, but his feelings were much harder to read. The orc placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, trying to pry his sorrowful eyes from the place this orc thought was damned, "Rudaro, we must leave they will notice you have left the city sooner rather than later,"

"Do you know what it is like to not have a home Herios?" asked Rudaro ignoring his friend's plea, "And to have the place you once called home banish you, never to return, for something your predecessors did?"

"You know full well what my answer to that question is little elf. Whatever wrongs people committed in the past cannot allow you to take action in the present. Doing things like that will consume you," Herios said while walking away.

Rudaro stood on the hill for a moment longer looking down on the city, "That is where we will always differ my friend," he said to himself as he followed his friend into the night.

The young man looked down onto the pavilion as he always did looking for something new to fill his mind with. But only the goings of life continue below his balcony, the commoners peddled with merchants from Stormwind, the children raced around the adults in their games, and the palace guard clad in their crimson armor stood unmoving at their posts. The young man sighed at the usual sights and waited for something to happen.

Eventually, from one of the streets bellow, a line of elves in robes of white marched toward the courtyard. Catching the young man's attention he focused on them. They stopped at the courtyard and the elf in the lead unveiled himself. This elf had the look of wisdom about him as he started to kneel before the crowd. The other robed elves followed his example and kneeled as well but they continued the face the wise man. Then the pavilion went silent at the robed elves started to chant verses from the Book of Light. All denizens were captivated, including the young man himself, by the gloriously worded phrase and verses. As the chorus of chants continued orbs of light gathered around the chanting elves. These orbs of light dances and skipped around the courtyard only enhancing the beautiful performance before the audience. Then abruptly the chorus turned into a solo as all but the wise looking elf stopped chanting, but the volume never changed as the wise elf became louder and more defined in his wording of the phrases. The orbs of light also seemed to concentrate around the wise elf. The wise elf then opened his eyes and placed a hand in front of him and the orbs of light concentrated into one in the palm of his hand. The wise elf gave one final command and the single orb of light shot up into the sky and became one with Silvermoon's magical barrier.

Even after the glorious display of magic ended the observing crowd still looked at the elves with amazement. This was because it wasn't every day the Priests of Discipline showed themselves in public, let alone let the common people gaze upon their magic. The young elf himself was awestruck by the display before him. He looked at the wise elf again to see if it could be true, "Zairian?" he asked himself, "Yes, that's him, Zairian Lord of Discipline,"

"Rudaro, what are you doing?" said a deep voice from behind the young elf.

Rudaro's concentration shifted toward the voice. Which came from a tall and stern looking elf clad in deep purple robes which made the elf's skin look paler than the average high elf, "Nothing father,"

Rudaro's father glared at him in disappointment, "Nothing is not what you're supposed to be doing. You're supposed to be reading the Book of Shadow, and practicing the family art,"

"I've read the book more than once father, you've beaten the thing into my head. And I know all the magic there is to know for my level," Rudaro said putting his father off.

"Really now? Your teacher seems to think otherwise seeming you failed your live exam," Rudaro's father's foot tapped in impatience.

Rudaro winced, "Damn that old man,"

Rudaro's father marched angrily out to him and glared down on him, "Now why would your teacher fail you,"

"Because he has restraint and I do?"

"You didn't finish off your opponent again didn't you?"

"The fight was won I didn't need to,"

"Son, what is our family's motto?"

"Not right now father," Rudaro said attempting to move around his father and away from confrontation.

Rudaro's father grabbed him by the arm, "Do not walk away from me son,"

Rudaro knew the words that could end this farce now but decided to hold his ground now, "I'm not arguing with you father, let it go,"

"No, you have been walking away since you started your train as successor to my title. Do you want to bring shame to your family?"

Rudaro shrugged off his father's grip and started to walk for the door again, "I said let it go,"

His father reach out again and grabbed at his son's arm shouting, "You cannot simple walk away from me son…"

Rudaro turned to face his father and looked him strait in the eye and said, "Mother did, aren't I her son as well?"

His father let go and backed away from him. Rudaro simply ignored the pain he had just caused and continued for the door without looking back.


End file.
